On 29 June 2023, the European Alliance to Save Energy (EU-ASE) and Regione Lombardia will host a half-day event aimed at building forward-looking partnerships between regions & business on energy efficiency. The event takes place on 29 June, 10:00 – 13:45 CET (including a light lunch). Register here!

Reducing energy need is one of our greatest tools to decarbonize and optimize our energy system to accelerate the integration of renewables, phase out fossil fuels and achieve the EU’s medium (2030) and long term (2050) energy and climate objectives of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It is also one of our most effective defenses to abate the impact of high energy bills for European households and businesses.

It is in Europe’s cities and regions where much of the necessary climate action can and needs to take place. This is why the at least 30% of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and 37% of the EU’s Cohesion Fund is dedicated to climate action, aligning with 2030 and 2050 energy and climate objectives. Energy efficiency, and achieving at least 30% in improvements, is a key priority for these funds, with significant financial support available to regions and local authorities for efficiency projects in key sectors: from public buildings and social housing to industrial plants and supporting local businesses.

Spent well, the funds will be a powerful lever to stimulate long-term private investment and build a solid skill base in Europe’s regions, but to realize the potential we need all hands on deck.

This half-day event, organised by the European Alliance to Save Energy (EU-ASE) and hosted by Regione Lombardia, will:

• Unite Europe’s regions and businesses, along with key representatives from the European Institutions, to look at how the EU’s Cohesion policy can be leveraged to support energy efficiency projects across Europe’s regions. 
• Provide a platform for regions to share successful experiences and shed light on some of the challenges at regional level. 
• Enable Europe’s businesses and leading energy efficiency solution providers to demystify some of the technologies available for qualitative and quantitative savings, monitoring and measurement. 
• Create a positive platform to connect the business community and regional actors and create new long-term partnerships to accelerate Cohesion supported energy efficiency projects at regional level. 

Some confirmed speakers include:

• Personal video address: Elisa Ferreira, Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms
• Paula Pinho, Director, Directorate-General ENERGY, European Commission
• Catherine Wendt, Head of Unit, Smart & Sustainable Growth, DG REGIO, European Commission
• Quentin Galland, Group Public & Regulatory Affairs Director, Knauf Insulation
• Mario Giordano, Head of Public & Government Affairs in Italy; Head of Project Specification, Signify
• Andrea Voigt, Head of Global Public Affairs, Danfoss  

Register here!

*PLEASE NOTE: We expect interest in this event to be high so to ensure as many organizations can benefit from the exchange, places will be limited to one person per organization. Registrations will be confirmed via email.
The event will not be live-streamed.
Full agenda will be available soon. Stay tuned!

On 28 September 2022, 11:30 – 13:00pm (CET) as part of the European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW), the European Alliance to Save Energy (EU-ASE) with smartEn and E3G, hosted an online conference on energy system efficiency and how this approach contributes to energy transition and to the phase-out of fossil fuels while increasing energy security and creating economic, social and environmental benefits for citizens and businesses.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has exacerbated an already looming energy price crisis, stressing the urgent need to achieve a more efficient and decarbonised energy system. This requires the application of the Energy Efficiency First principle at the system level with consumers at its heart.

By significantly reducing energy demand and better integrating system efficiency solutions relying on the active contribution of consumers, the energy system can be transformed to ensure that we reduce our energy consumption and satisfy our energy needs with renewables at the best time, in the right way. This will ensure the optimisation of the system and accelerate the efficient integration of renewables.

The focus of this session is to discuss and demonstrate, through the contribution of concrete examples, how an energy system efficiency approach can contribute to energy transition and to the phase-out of fossil fuels while increasing energy security and creating economic, social, and environmental benefits for citizens and businesses.

Confirmed speakers include:

• Moderator: Monica Frassoni, President, European Alliance to Save Energy (EU-ASE)
• Niels Fuglsang, Rapporteur of the Energy Efficiency Directive recast, Member of the European Parliament
• Dirk Kaisers, Segment Leader Distributed Energy Management EMEA, Eaton
• Adeline Rochet, Senior Policy Adviser, E3G
• Michael Villa, Executive Director, smartEn
• Hans van Steen, Principal Adviser in DG Energy, European Commission

Recording of the event available here & starts at 2:35:09

More information here.